


Symbiosis: Union

by Asa_de_Ouro



Category: Epic Mickey (Video Games), Osmosis Jones (2001), crossover - Fandom
Genre: Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Domestic, F/M, New Family, Pregnancy complications, personal headcanons
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-02
Updated: 2019-10-09
Packaged: 2020-06-02 18:45:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19447366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Asa_de_Ouro/pseuds/Asa_de_Ouro
Summary: After Thrax breaks his record, a night of celebration between him and Krystal brings a surprise nobody saw coming. How is Krystal's body going to survive a pregnancy with a virus hybrid? Is Thrax going to get her friend's blessing, much less acceptance? And more importantly, how is he going to get into the hospital to see his baby?Rated: R18 (graphic sex scene)Warnings: Pregnancy complications, threats of miscarriage.Categories: Romance, Drama, Comedy.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Firestone115](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Firestone115/gifts).



For a while, nothing too out of the ordinary happened in the City of Krystal. But today, everything was about to change. The mayor had noticed that Thrax had recently broken his record, and was planning to celebrate with Krystal that night. And by celebrate, he meant so much more than just a night out in Toontown.  
As the evening dragged on, the mayor noticed that the two of them were about to start having sex. She sent a message down to the worker cells in the reproductive area…  
“Attention! Brain to vagina and uterus! This is Mayor Valeri. We have gotten confirmation that Krystal and Thrax are finally going to consummate his record celebration. Heads up; it’s going to get very warm.”  
“Heard!” One of the vaginal cell workers called back. “Preparations have begun. We are getting signals to increase lubrication and the nerve endings on the clitoris are buzzing.”  
“Foreplay has begun. Watch out; the vaginal muscles are going to contract.”  
The cell workers in the vagina held on to their equipment as their station slowly moved about, and one of them turned a dial labeled ‘Lubrication’.  
“If I press the panic button, that means Thrax just made a move to slide a finger inside,” the mayor said. “So stand by just in case. I have my hand over it.”  
“There’s a lot of hot air entering,” Another one said. “The vagina has opened and something is breaching through. It could be— Oh no wait, it’s his tongue.” She wrinkled her eyebrows. “Eww… sometimes I wish there wasn’t a viewing window; this is awkward.”  
Everyone gathered around out of morbid curiosity. “Look, it managed to reach that spongy spot of nerve endings… how. How. Is it that long and flexible?”  
“I honestly don’t know. I’m still not used to watching them have sex. …Okay, the vaginal walls have completely relaxed and expanded. What’s going on up there?”  
“Prepare for a rapid entry!” The mayor responded. “Krystal has gotten on top of Thrax and he’s going to plunge it in at any second—”  
The worker cells in all areas of the reproductive system fell over as Thrax pushed up into her, the movement shaking them around a bit.  
“That thing scares me every time!!” One of the worker cells screamed. “The tip is glowing and it’s a danger shade of red; I always worry it’s going to burn us all!”  
“I’m getting worried!” One of the cells in the uterus shuddered. “The pulsating red near the cervix is the tip of his penis and I am terrified right now. If that red-hot poker taps the cervix all the serotonin in the world isn’t going to save us.”  
Up in the brain, a cell spun a crank labeled ‘Serotonin’. “Optic viewer is getting hazy; this is going to be a long night.”  
“Not again!!” A worker cell down in the hypothalamus groaned. “Body temperature is climbing towards 100 degrees! Every single time Krystal has sex with Thrax the hypothalamus gets uncalibrated!”  
“Aren’t you used to it by now? How many times has it happened?”  
“It’s just annoying.”  
Back down in the uterus, the worker cells gathered around to make sure the cervix wasn’t in any immediate danger. Suddenly, there was a brief pause, and then without warning, what felt like an earthquake tore through, sending the worker cells in all areas falling and scrambling for a safe place to hunker down in.  
“WHAT’S GOING ON OUT THERE?!!” One of the workers yelled up to the brain.  
“Thrax switched positions to all fours! Coherent thought has completely shorted out; we’re seeing stars up here!” The mayor called back down. “Serotonin output is at maximum!”  
“It’s bumping the spongy part! Lubrication is at maximum! First climax in T-minus 5 seconds; get ready!” The worker cells in the vagina braced themselves as the vaginal walls clamped themselves tightly several times. “We’re not done yet; this is becoming an eye-roller, folks! We’ve got a high speed reading; 2.5 pumps a second! Second climax in T-minus 90 seconds!  
“This isn’t funny anymore! It’s getting too hot in here!”  
All of a sudden, there was an ear-piercing shriek from the fallopian tubes. “OH NO!!! THIS IS BAD!!!”  
“What’s the matter?!!”  
“UNFERTILIZED EGG!! RED ALERT, THERE IS AN UNFERTILIZED EGG IN THE FALLOPIAN TUBE!!!”  
“How could you let that go unnoticed?! I know this is a surreal show but holy cow, get a grip and pay attention!! Is Thrax wearing a condom?!”  
“That’s a negative!! No he is not! We’re in big trouble; fertilization is imminent!!”  
“Second climax in T-minus 10 seconds!”  
“Krystal’s head finally stopped whirling; Thrax is about to burst! Duck!!” The mayor called down, and all the worker cells dived for cover as he spilled out inside her. Up in the hypothalamus, the temperature went up another two degrees.  
“Thrax has ejaculated! I repeat, ejaculation has occurred! Heads up! There is a ton of sperm flowing into the uterus!” The worker cells in the uterus scrambled into the fallopian tubes. “Backup is arriving!”  
“It’s so hot in here! His sperm is swarming the egg! This is bad; we aren’t prepared for this sort of thing!”  
“Maybe it won’t fertilize! Maybe it’ll be—” They were cut off when one of the sperm pushed its way to the egg, and the resulting zygote changed color drastically, resulting in a lava-like black and orange color. “It did…”  
“This body… is… doomed.”

(Days pass, and…)

“Have you been keeping an eye on the zygote?”  
The worker cell pacing the fallopian tube hall looked up. “Yes. It’s fully developed into a blastocyst and has been traveling to the uterus with no issues. It should attach itself to the uterine wall shortly.”  
“And did you forget that it’s basically a tiny fireball? Zygotes aren’t supposed to be a danger orange!”  
“I know. I’m scared for this body.”  
“Uterus to fallopian tubes, we have contact. The blastocyst has successfully attached to the uterine wall.”  
“And? What does it look like?”  
“…I see orange and yellow marks spreading across! Thrax’s DNA will burn this body from the inside out!”

“Ow…” Krystal scratched at her abdomen.  
“Baby, what’s the matter?” Thrax asked.  
“I don’t know, I just felt a little pinch of something in my belly. I wonder if what I ate didn’t agree with me…?”  
“…It could be, but you know I get worried when you get sick. Keep an eye on it.”

As time went on, Krystal couldn’t help but feel a steadily increasing warmth in her belly. She could no longer chalk it up to hot food or Thrax’s attempts at cooking. She looked fearful. “Thrax, come here, please…”  
“What’s wrong?”  
“Feel my stomach. Does it feel warm to you?”  
Thrax gingerly put his hand on Krystal’s belly, and his eyes widened. “It does. …Baby, you don’t suppose… well, when did we ‘celebrate’?”  
“Can’t have been more than a week or so ago, why—” Both of them looked surprised as the realization sunk in. “Thrax… I’m… it’s your…”  
“Baby…?” Thrax’s face slowly cracked into a smile. “Oh, baby, yes! I haven’t been this excited about something since I broke my record… especially since it’s you.”  
“Let’s go make sure. I know someone who offers free pregnancy tests.”

As Krystal knocked on the door to Fanny O’Doggell’s (nee Cottontail) home, she peeked out her window, flinched, then opened the door a little bit.  
“I’m sorry, but the virus can’t come in here,” Fanny said. “He’s a hazard.”  
“Never heard that one before,” Thrax muttered.  
“I’m just here for a pregnancy test,” Krystal explained. “I think I’m having his baby.”  
“His baby?!” Fanny’s jaw dropped. “How is that possible?”  
“It feels like a tiny balloon full of heat is in my belly. It has to be his.”  
“Very well, come in.” Fanny motioned for Krystal to come inside, then rapidly closed the door before Thrax could follow.  
“Hey bunny, you know… this is important to me too!”  
“Sorry, I’ll be right back!” Krystal called back.

“It wasn’t that long ago when Asa came in here for a pregnancy test,” Fanny said, rummaging through her bag. “She was over the moon to be having the Clockman’s baby.”  
“Yeah, she was crying with joy over the phone when she told me,” Krystal responded. “I’m so glad.”  
“Here you go.” Fanny handed her a pregnancy test. 

A few moments later, Krystal emerged from the bathroom, staring down at the pregnancy test. “Positive… it’s positive!”  
“Deja vu,” Fanny remarked. “Is this what you want?”  
“Yes!!” Krystal smiled, then quickly rushed outside to Thrax. “It’s positive! The test came out positive!”  
“Oh, Krystal, baby, I’m so glad!” Thrax lifted her up and held her close, laughing with joy.  
“I don’t know how it’s possible,” Fanny said. “But congratulations.”  
“Baby, I wanna tell everyone. Not only did I break my record, but I have my best girl back and she’s havin’ my baby!”  
“Let’s start with telling Asa first,” Krystal said. “I’m sure she’ll be so glad for us.”


	2. Chapter 2

“Hello?”   
“Hey, Asa! It’s Krystal! You’re not going to believe this… I’m pregnant too!!”  
“Oh my gosh, no way! You have to tell me all about it! Tell me about the father!”  
“I have a better idea… why don’t we meet up and you can meet him for yourself? Bring Eugene as well.”  
“Oh, I will! Man, I can’t wait! I hope he’s gonna treat you well!”  
“Oh, I know he does.”  
“Okay, see you soon!”  
“…Huh, she seems pretty nice.” Thrax nodded.   
“She is! I think you’ll get along with her, either that or get along with her husband.”

That afternoon, Krystal and Thrax waited in the park for Asa and Eugene. The two of them haven’t seen each other in quite a while. They were a little nervous, but soon saw them coming up.  
“…There they are! Asa, Eugene, hello!” Krystal waved.   
“Krys’thtal! Long time no s’thee!” Eugene waved back. Asa raised her hand to wave, but she paused as her eyes widened, noticing Thrax standing right next to her with his hand on her shoulder. “Oh my goodness’th. As’tha tells’th me you’re pregnant.”  
“Uh-huh! With his baby!” Krystal pointed to Thrax, who smirked and nodded proudly.  
“You!?” Eugene adjusted his glasses. “Wh- how?”  
“I don’t know, but I’m just so happy!”  
“I can s’thee that! Well, is’thn’t this’th grand! As’tha, what do you think—”  
Asa could only stare dead ahead, as if she was focusing on something a thousand feet away. The only memories she had of Thrax were when his presence had spooked Krystal to the point of tears, and she couldn’t even bear to speak his name. And now here he was, practically joined at the hip with her and touching her. Her lower lip quivered and she gritted her teeth as she felt shock, then anger.   
“As’tha, what’s’th the matter?”  
“You… get…” Asa mumbled, then built up to a scream. “Get your FILTHY FEVER FINGERS OFF OF HER!!!” She charged forward, winding up for a punch. Before she could get close to Thrax, Eugene held her back.  
“As’tha! S’thweetie! Whatever is’th the matter?!”  
“Eugene, that’s the virus Krystal couldn’t even stand to be near!!” Asa struggled. “She couldn’t even bear to speak his name and he’s touching her! You don’t expect me to just stand here!?”  
Thrax stepped backwards out of shock, surprised that this was the same young woman he’d heard just moments ago on the phone. The only thing that was stopping her from throttling him was her own pregnancy.  
Krystal stepped forward. “Asa, calm down, it’s okay. It’s really okay.”  
“He said something to you, didn’t he?! He put that hell fever spawn inside you so he can make sure you stay with him forever, didn’t he?!”  
“Really? ‘Hell fever spawn’?” Thrax rolled his eyes.  
“SHUT UP!!!” Asa screamed.   
“Thrax’th, pleas’the. As’tha has’th a hard enough time adjus’thting to this’th new revelation as’th it is’th. Don’t make it wors’the.” Eugene tried to ease the tension. “Krys’thtal, when did you s’thtop fearing him?”  
“Almost two months ago,” Krystal replied.   
“Ah, s’thee, there you go!” Eugene smiled at Asa. “With time comes’th almost unex’thplainable change. Right?”  
“Eugene, you’re my husband and the love of my life. But don’t you dare use that analogy in this situation. It doesn’t apply. At all.” Asa replied bluntly. “Two months is not even close to enough time. Thrax did something to Krystal to force her to come back.”  
“S’thweetie—” Eugene sighed. “At leas’tht s’thay congratulations’th.”  
“Fine. Congratulations.” Asa crinkled her face. “Only to Krystal.”  
“Wow. Thanks a lot,” Thrax said sarcastically, examining his fingers.  
“Nobody’s talking to you!!” Asa snapped. “I know you did or said something to her! What was it?! What the hell did you say to make her agree to carry your spawn?!”  
“You really wanna know?” Thrax smirked. “Fine. I said: ‘Hey baby, guess what. I finally broke my record. Let’s celebrate.’ …Need me to go on?”  
There was an awkward silence before Asa tried charging at Thrax again, angrier than before. “‘Baby’?! Gross!! She has a name! Use it!! Get your hands off her! Stop calling her ‘baby’!! What the hell did you do?! What did you do?!!”  
Eugene restrained Asa further, trying to hold her back. “I’m… terribly s’thorry we got off on the wrong foot. I think we’ll go back home. As’tha is’th way too aggravated and I don’t want her to hurt hers’thelf. S’thweetie, pleas’the, calm down. Let’s go home.”  
“You did something to her, and mark my words! I’ll find out what it is! And then the only date you’ll have is with a bottle of rubbing alcohol!” Asa yelled after the two of them as Eugene led her off.   
Thrax exhaled. “Damn… you know what else ‘seems nice’, baby? Badgers and swans. That is the fiercest girl I have ever seen.”  
“I hoped she would listen to me,” Krystal said. “But the bad memories are all she has…”  
“She’ll come around, baby. You’ll see.”

“I just… I can’t understand.” Asa had considerably calmed down, her head resting on Eugene’s chest. The sound of his heartbeat and the pocketwatch ticking in his vest pocket had brought her back down to Earth.   
Eugene ran his fingers through her hair. “Are you feeling better?”  
“What happened? For the longest time, all she felt around him was fear.” Asa sighed. “I just want answers.”   
“We’ll get them eventually. For now at leas’tht be s’thupportive of your friend during her pregnanc’thy. She’ll need it. I can’t imagine carrying a baby that’s’th part-virus’th will be eas’thy.”  
“Oh, I’ll support her. But I’ll be damned if I’m giving Thrax any ounce of respect anytime soon.”  
“I’m sure there’s’th more that you’re not s’theeing.”  
“Maybe. But right now, I just don’t want to think about it.” She closed her eyes and tried to relax, but then she rapidly sat up as she realized something. “Wait a minute. What did you say?”  
“Being pregnant with a virus’th hybrid could be ris’thky?”  
“More than risky, Eugene! Think about it; what’s Thrax’s main symptom?”  
“Hyperthermia…?”  
“Exactly! That thing is going to burn her from the inside out!”  
Eugene’s eyes widened. “Oh my goodness’th.”  
“Yeah, no kidding.” Asa climbed off his lap and picked up the phone. 

“Hello, this is Krystal.”  
“Krystal! It’s Asa! Hey, listen! About your baby… it’s gonna be part virus. And that’s gonna be a huge problem.”  
“How so?” Krystal switched her cellphone to speaker mode, then silently motioned to Thrax to join her.   
“You’re carrying the strain of a virus that specializes in literal killer fevers! Something bad could happen! Y-you could die!”   
Thrax’s eyes bulged open and looked like he was about to have a panic attack. “N-no. No, baby, no—”  
“Shh, wait. She might hear you and then she’ll hang up.” Krystal whispered under her breath, then went back to the call. “Asa, I know you got a nasty shock earlier this afternoon, but please try to understand. …This is what I want. Thrax didn’t force his way back into my life. I let him back in. That’s why I’m not scared anymore. …A lot happened in those two months. It’s an extremely long story. But the, well… super condensed version, is that I realized that I needed him back. Believe me, it wasn’t easy. But I can assure you, everything is fine between us now. …And that’s why I’m willing to carry his child.”  
There was a short pause, then Asa heaved a sigh. “I just… I don’t want you to die during it. I have no idea how long it’s gonna be in there for. Who knows what’s going to happen.”  
“I’ll think of something, okay? I promise. Trust me.”   
“I always have.” As the two of them wrapped up the call, Thrax had retreated to the couch.   
“Thrax…?” Krystal sat next to him.   
“I don’t want you to die,” he said in a shaky voice. “I know it’s hot in there but… I don’t want it to get so bad that you die!”  
“Don’t panic, okay?” Krystal took his hands in hers. “I’ll think of something. I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure I keep our baby, all the way to the end.”   
Thrax finally smiled. “Baby, you’re the best.”

“…do we do it?” The worker cells in the uterus had gathered around the glass case containing the ‘Miscarry’ button. “I think we should do it.”  
“Look at the bright side, the pregnancy might go well and it’ll just be a little warm.”  
“The heat marks are spreading across the uterine wall! We have to do this! For the sake of this body!”   
One of the cells shut her eyes tightly, hesitating. “…okay, do it…”  
The other one raised the mallet. “One… two…”  
“Brain to uterus; this is Mayor Valeri. I have something extremely important to tell you.”  
“Ah—” They scrambled to attention. “Yes ma’am?”  
“Krystal is deadset on keeping this baby. Regardless of the risk.” She frowned when she was met with silence. “You didn’t press the Miscarry button down there, did you?!”  
“No ma’am! Well, we were about to, but—”  
“Don’t you dare cause a miscarriage. This child means everything to the both of them.”  
“But Mayor, if it continues like this, Krystal will die! And Thrax would be devastated if he loses her, right?”  
“And both of them would be thousands-fold more devastated if they lost the baby!” Mayor Valeri shouted.   
“So what are we supposed to do, just let it be?”  
“Precisely. Just monitor the growth. And perhaps expect some medicine.”  
“Medicine?”  
“Krystal lives in Toontown. If they can make potions for just every circumstance imaginable, they can make a pill to make the uterus fireproof.”


	3. Chapter 3

“What?! ‘Virus-hybrid fetus protection’?” The clerk at Toontown’s main pharmacy looked shocked. “I don’t even think we have anything like that!”  
“Let me put it this way…” Krystal said. “Is there anything to help someone carry a baby that is very… fiery to term?”   
“I’ll check.” As the clerk began checking the shelves in the back, Krystal peeked out the window to see Thrax outside looking both nervous and annoyed. She felt bad that he couldn’t come in with her. Her cellphone vibrated and she looked at it…  
‘getting real sick of not being able to be with you during this bb’  
Her eyebrows furrowed and she replied back with ‘I’m sorry. I wish you were here too’. The clerk finally returned, her face fallen.  
“I’m sorry. We don’t have anything like that after all.”   
Krystal sighed. “Thanks anyway,” she said, then headed outside. As Thrax looked at her expectantly, she sadly shook her head.  
“Damn it!” Thrax ran his hand through his dreads. “What other options do we have?!”  
“We can’t put ice on it all the time. That might hurt it.” As Krystal sat down next to him, Fanny noticed them as she walked by.  
“What’s the matter?” she asked.  
“We need something to help me carry this baby to term without it killing me,” Krystal replied. “I just got out of the pharmacy and they don’t have anything.”  
Fanny thought for a moment, then motioned for them to follow her. “Come with me. I know someone who might have an option.”

After a few minutes of walking, the three of them arrived at Ortensia’s house. “If you’ve ever wondered why Ortensia was able to carry and give birth to all those children… she has the answer.” Fanny knocked on the door.   
Ortensia opened the door, then smiled. “Fanny! What brings you here?”   
“This is Asa’s friend Krystal, and she has a predicament. Do you still have that pharmacy business card with you?”   
“I believe I do! Come in, come in!” Thrax was about to enter, but Ortensia held up her hand. “Not you.”  
“Oh come on! Every time!!” Thrax groaned. “Just this once?!”  
“I have my kids in here and I don’t want them getting sick from exposure.” As Ortensia closed the door on him, Thrax grumbled and sat down. “…Right. The reason I didn’t blow up like a blimp and only looked like I was carrying 4 or 5? Is this.” She rummaged around in a desk drawer, then pulled out a business card. “By the time I was only a few weeks pregnant, I looked like I was finished. Until the pharmacy I visited gave me some medicine that sort of created a ‘hammer-space’ in my uterus so I wouldn’t look so big.” She handed the card to Krystal.  
“‘Black and White Medical Market’? …Are you sure they’re legit? This name sounds really suspicious.”  
“That’s what I thought as well. But the pharmacy is located in the area of Toontown mainly dominated by black-and-white toons, and that’s why they named it that,” Ortensia explained. “They’re actually super reputable and the medicine worked.”   
Krystal read the rest of the card. “‘Everything you need for the most uncommon of ailments’… well, this is certainly uncommon. 1935 Fleischer Boulevard, huh? We’ll have to check it out. Thank you!”  
“Let me know if you find anything,” Ortensia called after Krystal as she left.   
“Thrax, we might have an answer!” Krystal showed him the business card. “This place.”  
Thrax read the card. “Black and White Medical Market… I don’t know, this doesn’t sound too good. How do we know they ain’t run by a bunch of quacks? And around here, that won’t be too far off; I’ve seen a lot of talking ducks.”  
“Let’s just look. Please? For me; for us?”   
Thrax sighed. “Aah… alright, baby. For you. But we’re driving; I don’t wanna get kicked off the trolley next.”

As Thrax drove down the street, Krystal looked at the Toontown map. “Okay. We’re currently in Paramount Avenue. If we keep going, then make a right east of the Merrie Melodies cinema, we should start seeing where it starts turning into Fleischer Boulevard.”   
“Alright, I trust you, baby.” Thrax continued driving. “…Is it just me or are the colors starting to fade?”  
“Yeah, they are. In Wasteland, everything was still really colorful.” Krystal kept looking at the map and outside. “Okay. Turn right… now.” After making the right, both of them were surprised to see the colors rapidly fading away as the road went down. “…whoa, it’s like traveling back in time.”  
“Yeah, no kiddin’.” Thrax looked for a parking lot, then pulled in. “Alright, baby, I think we can stop here and walk the rest of the way. Fleischer Boulevard is just one block down.”  
As the two of them walked down, the colors were completely gone and the toons walking around were monochromatic, rubberhose, and mostly silent. A few of them turned to notice them, then shock lines sprung up around their heads and squinted their eyes.   
Thrax rolled his eyes. “What’s the matter? Ain’t y’all seen anyone not in black and white before?”  
“We have; just none with such blinding reds as you!” One of the voiced toons spoke up. “Mickey Mouse’s shorts are less red than that!”  
Krystal held back a snort, then cleared her throat. “Do you know the way to the Black and White Medical Market?”  
“Certainly!” A female toon wrapped her arm around her, then tried to lead her away from Thrax. “You can stop bothering the lady, thank you!”  
“Oh, he’s not a bother. He’s with me.”  
More shock lines sprung up around the toon’s head. “How on earth would a pretty young dame such as yourself allow such a great big brute to be anywhere near you?!”  
“It’s okay, really. I’m just here looking for something to help me carry his baby to term. The regular pharmacy didn’t have anything so I’m trying here instead.”  
The female toon let out a high-pitched shriek as she heard that. “Oh, I’m so sorry…! Two buildings down from the dress shop; hurry! …What a calamity; I think I’m going to faint…” Her heart literally pounded out of her chest as it shriveled, she turned white, spun around on her heels, then fell flat on her back as her eyes turned to Xs.   
“What’s her problem?” Thrax muttered.   
“Ah, now I see it,” Krystal said. “I’ll go ahead, since you might not get let in again.” She grimaced as the other toons were starting to glare daggers at Thrax; in a few cases, quite literally. “…Actually, I think you’d better wait in the car.”  
“Why in the car?”  
“It shouldn’t be terribly long. Well, that, and the entire town looks like they want to bum-rush you.”  
“Don’t worry about me; I can handle it.” Thrax sat down on a nearby bench, then his tone softened. “Good luck, baby.”  
“Thank you.”

As Krystal entered the pharmacy, the first thing she noticed was a male toon wearing a vest whose voice could only be described as ‘1930s carnival barker’.   
“Welcome, welcome, to the Black and White Medical Market! We’ve got it all! Pharmaceutical phenomenons all right here! By golly, even a cat can give birth to a litter of over four hundred! My name is Gable; what’ll it be, madam?”  
“Hello, Gable; my name is Krystal. I’m hoping you have something for my particular situation. You see, I’m pregnant. The thing is, it’s Thrax’s baby.”  
Everybody in the building reacted with shock, and Gable gasped. “Good golly!! N-now, don’t panic, don’t panic! We have just the thing for that!” He quickly led Krystal to the back room, then found a jar of what looked like candied orange peels. His voice dropped to a whisper. “Only one, and it’ll be gone in a flash. We won’t tell a soul!”  
“Wh-what?!” Krystal shook her head, waving her hands. “No, no! I don’t want to get rid of it!”  
Gable raised an eyebrow. “You’re absolutely sure?”  
“Yes! My issue is that there’s an extremely high chance the fetus will cause my body to fatally overheat and I don’t want that to happen! Can you help me with that?”  
Gable thought for a moment. “Hmm. Now that is a hair scratcher… yes, we can help you with that. But!” He held up a finger. “We’re going to have to make a change for one of our own formulas. An increased dosage of our medicine for mothers to be carrying the child of the devil himself, ice cold and safe to swallow! Just for you! …But it’s going to take time. On our honor! No more than 14 days, and you will have your medicine.”  
Krystal’s eyes widened. “Thank you… thank you so much! This means everything to us; I’m so glad you could help us!”  
“I wish you the best of luck, madam. Now then, just write down your telephone number and we will let you know when it’s ready.” 

“Thrax, they’ll get something for us!” Krystal rushed to the bench. “They’ll get us some medicine in 2 weeks at most!”  
“Really? No fooling?” Thrax stood up.   
“Yes, really!!” Krystal hugged him. “I was so worried we wouldn’t get answers.”  
Thrax hugged her back. “Same here, baby. …Man, a lot can happen in two weeks. I hope nothing goes wrong.”


	4. Chapter 4

“…How long did Krystal say it was?” One of the hypothalamus cell workers asked.  
“She said the pharmacy would take a maximum of 2 weeks to make the medicine,” Mayor Valeri replied.   
“Okay, because it’s only been one week and there’s a temperature spike. Krystal’s body temperature is crawling to 100 degrees. In the second week I estimate it’ll reach 104 or 105.”  
“Even with this medicine; how can Krystal survive carrying this baby to term? It’s impossible!” One of the uterus cell workers piped in. “This was supposed to be impossible!”

“Shit,” Thrax hissed as the thermometer in Krystal’s mouth beeped. 100.1. “You’re getting a fever. Baby, this ain’t good.”  
“And there’s still a week left before the deadline,” Krystal responded.  
“Well, they better meet their deadline before you meet your dead-line!” Thrax let out a weak snicker as Krystal giggled at his pun. “Yeah, I know that was funny, baby. But if your fever gets any higher it won’t be funny anymore. We gotta at least get some protein into you between now and when the medicine is ready.”  
“…I have an idea.”

“Hello, you’ve reached the Clockman.”  
“Thank goodness I got you,” Thrax said. “I have a problem.”  
“Thrax’th, why on earth would you call after you s’thaw As’tha does’thn’t like you? What if she picked up?”  
“Listen, Krystal has a fever. I’m wondering if one of y’all can help me out? I don’t want her going out in case it gets worse and well, you know I can’t go anywhere.”  
Eugene thought for a while. “I think that can be arranged.”  
“Hey listen, don’t tell your wife I’m the one who called. Thanks in advance.”   
As Thrax hung up, Eugene managed to track down Asa. “S’thweetie, Krys’thtal has’th come down with a fever.”  
“What?! …wow, however did that happen, I wonder?”  
“Yes’th, yes’th, virus’th hybrid baby s’thide effect. Here’s’th the thing; she needs’th protein and neither of them can really go out to get anything.”  
Asa’s head snapped up, her eyes wide, then narrowed. “Give me two hours.” She practically ran out the door.

A few moments later, Asa returned with a large grocery bag. “There is absolutely no way Krystal is going to eat takeout meat. I won’t allow it.” She reached into the bag and pulled out a whole chicken. “Fun time.”  
“My goodness’th, how ambitious’th! Don’t they already have rotiss’therie chicken there?”  
“Rotisserie chicken? Heck no. She’s getting fresh baked marinated chicken and that’s final, honey.”   
“Is’th it okay if I watch you make it?”   
“I can never say no to that.”

“…As’tha, you really are amaz’thing.” Eugene smiled as Asa pulled the chicken out of the oven, then put the stock pot on to simmer the carcass. “It s’thmells’th s’tho good!”  
“Thank you!” Asa smiled as she took a pair of tongs and started placing the chicken in a separate container to take to Krystal. After she finished transferring the chicken, she pulled out a small plate and placed two small pieces of meat on it. “I saved the oyster meat specially for you. It would be rude to have you watch me do all that and then not be able to taste any.”  
Eugene took a small fork and blew on one of the pieces, then tasted it. “That is’th abs’tholutely delicious’th. Can I really have both?”  
“Of course!” Asa watched proudly as Eugene eagerly ate the second piece.  
He exhaled with satisfaction. “Alright, let’s’th take the res’tht of the chicken to Krys’thtal; otherwis’the I’ll want to eat it all.” At this, Asa couldn’t help but laugh.  
“We shouldn’t take too long though; otherwise the stock will burn.”

“…I would have gotten a rotisserie chicken, but those are just… they’re not too terrible, but they’re so greasy. I’m not giving that to Krystal.” Asa held the foil-topped container of still-warm chicken in her lap as the two of them rode the trolley to the area were Krystal and Thrax lived. “And takeout meat isn’t much better either. Who even knows if the meat is all actual meat?”  
“Good point,” Eugene replied. “I can s’thee how making it fresh in this’th cas’the is’th better.”  
“And it’s so much more expensive to get the pieces by themselves.”  
“Is’th that s’tho?”  
“With the whole bird, you can get all the pieces, and use the leftover carcass to make stock. Two for one deal.”   
“You know s’tho much about cooking; it’s’th s’tho fas’thcinating to hear you talk about it.”  
Asa rested her head on his shoulder. “That’s exactly how I feel about you and your passion for clocks.”

As the two of them arrived at Krystal and Thrax’s apartment, Eugene knocked on the door, making sure Asa was behind him. Thrax answered the door. “Hello!” Eugene greeted him. “We have a little s’thurpris’the for Krys’thtal, I hope she likes’th chicken; As’tha baked s’thome fresh.”  
“That’s actually her favorite; come on in.” Thrax opened the door all the way, and the two of them entered. He noticed that Asa was glaring at him. “Why is she still mad at me?”  
“Forgiveness’th is’th not earned in a day, nor a week. Als’tho the baby is’th mos’tht likely the caus’the of the fever.”  
“I didn’t know it would happen so fast!”  
“Wow. The virus that causes hyperthermia doesn’t know that his spawn would cause a fever,” Asa said in a cold tone as she looked around the kitchen for a plate and a pair of tongs.   
“You’re hitting a little below the belt there, don’cha think?” Thrax cocked an eyebrow.  
“I’m just here to give Krystal the chicken. And we can’t stay long; I have stock simmering.” Asa removed the foil, and both Thrax and Eugene could smell the lemon-pepper-herb marinade in the air as she began plating some of the chicken.  
“She made that all by herself? Damn, Clockman, you’re one hell of a lucky man; that looks so good—” Thrax reached out towards one of the legs, but was cut off when Asa whacked at his hand with the tongs.   
“HEY!!” she shouted. “Not for you!”  
“Thrax’th, don’t grab,” Eugene remarked. “As’thk and s’thay please.”  
“Well, you’re practicing your daddy talk really early,” Thrax responded. “…then again I have a feeling she’d still say no even if I asked.”  
“You’d be right. Where’s Krystal’s room?” Asa asked.   
“Far door on the right; it’s my room too,” Thrax replied. Asa walked past him with a huff. “…Why can’t she just accept the fact Krystal wants to have my baby?! She told her. You told her. Why is she still mad?”  
“Thes’the things’th take time.”  
“…yeah, says the man with like a dozen clocks all over his house.”  
Eugene pushed up the bridge of his glasses and tried to hold back a laugh. “Oh, it’s’th far more than a dozen.”

“Knock knock! Hi, Krystal! Guess what I brought!” Asa peeked in the door. “Lemon pepper herb chicken!”  
“Hi! Oh, that sounds tasty!” Krystal sat up in the bed. “That smells amazing; did you make that?”  
“Sure did!” Asa set the plate on the nightstand. “Eat up, you need it.”  
Krystal took one of the legs and tasted it. “Wow. That tastes really good. Thank you so much.”  
“Keep the rest of it; I baked the entire bird.” Asa sat down near the bed. “I wish I could stay, but I’ve got the carcass on simmer and I want to make sure it doesn’t burn.”   
“Real chicken stock is better anyway.” Krystal finished the leg. “…Honestly, thank you so much for this. I knew you’d bring food but I didn’t think you’d actually cook it yourself.”  
“I wanted to,” Asa said. “Rotisserie chicken is greasy, and fast food meat might as well be half-fake. It’s gotta be fresh.”  
“Well, I’m gonna be eating good for the next couple of days. I’m so glad you were willing to take time out to cook this.” Krystal smiled. “Hey, is it okay if Thrax tries some too?”  
Asa’s eyebrows twitched slightly. “…I guess so.”   
“I heard you out there; it sounded like he was trying to take it right out from under your nose.”  
“He was. …I’m sorry. I know you want me to accept him, but… Even if I wasn’t there for the two months it took for you to get back together with him, it just doesn’t feel right.”  
“Hey, it’s okay.” Krystal reassured her. “Acceptance doesn’t have to be instantaneous. But he’s not going to hurt me anymore.”  
“He better not. Or I will have words.” Asa sighed. “I should probably get going so the stock doesn’t burn, but I really hope you’re going to be okay.”   
“I will be. Don’t worry.”  
“Take care of yourself.” Asa smiled back at her, then pouted as she left the room and looked at Thrax. “Okay, you can have one piece of chicken. Krystal needs it more than you.”  
“Ey, one, I’ll take that. Thanks.” Thrax picked up one of the thighs, then reached into the cupboard and pulled out a small container of California Reaper powder.   
Eugene cringed and looked over at Asa, muttering a tiny ‘uh-oh’, as she got visibly bristled as Thrax dipped the chicken in the powder. “Why did you do that?!!” she shouted. “You’re going to just disrespect my cooking because it’s not good enough without spice?!”   
“Oh dear, there it is’th.”  
“I didn’t say it wasn’t good enough,” Thrax responded. “Besides, it’s not like y’all don’t use dipping sauce.”  
“That’s different! You’re supposed to use dipping sauce to complement the flavor, not mess it up! …Oh my god, Krystal wants me to get used to you but you’re making it impossible! I’m out of here, I’m gonna have ruined stock by the time I get back.”   
“Surely not, As’tha; it’s’th only been 50 minutes’th s’thince you put it on to s’thimmer,” Eugene said in an attempt to soothe her. “Thrax’th, at leas’tht tas’thte a part of that you didn’t dip in the powder?”  
Thrax ate another part of the thigh without dipping it in the powder, then smiled and nodded. “Yeah, that’s some good stuff!”  
“Thank you!” Asa said, still insulted, then let out a huff and walked out the door. “I’m never letting him taste any of my food ever again, oh my god. Disrespect.”

About three days later, the phone rang. Krystal went to answer it. “Hello?”  
“Is this Krystal?”  
“Yes, who is this?”  
“This is Gable. Your medicine is ready. Come pick it up at the Black and White Medical Market, and come alone.”   
“Ah- yes, of course, thank you! I’ll get it right away!” Krystal got out of bed. “Thrax, the medicine is finally ready; they want me to pick it up at the pharmacy!”  
“Well it’s about time! …Wait, are you going by yourself?”  
“They want me to come alone. Privacy thing, I’m guessing.”  
“Baby, your fever jumped to 103 degrees between then and now; I’m driving you there. I promise, I’ll wait in the car. I don’t want to hear that you’ve collapsed on the trolley up there.”  
“Fair enough.”

This time around, Thrax remembered the way to Fleischer Boulevard, and kept looking over at Krystal to make sure she was still alert. “Alright, baby, if you feel faint, don’t hesitate to ask one of the toons for help. Some of them might recognize you from before.”   
“Alright, will do.” Krystal nodded as Thrax pulled into the same parking lot from before. As she got out of the car, she got the attention of everyone else. The same female toon from before rushed to her side.  
“Oh, you poor dear! Are you okay? You look a mess!”  
“I’m going back to the Black and White Medical Market; the medicine I ordered is ready,” Krystal replied. “I just feel slightly woozy because I have a fever.”  
The toon walked Krystal to the pharmacy. “That horrid, terrible brute! I knew he would do something to you that would destroy you! Do you need a paracetamol?”  
“I appreciate the concern, but this medicine should help cool me down faster.”  
“Oh please, do take care of yourself!” She clasped her hands together as Krystal walked into the pharmacy.

“Welcome, welcome, to the Black and Wh— Oh, it’s you!” Gable recognized her. “Ah, yes, your medicine. Come with me.” He gestured to a female clerk assisting someone else. “Eleanor, greet the customers for a few moments; I’ll be just a moment.” He led Krystal to the back room, then reached over to a small fridge and pulled out a bottle of pills.   
“Here you go.” Gable handed the bottle to Krystal. “Keep it in an icebox; otherwise their effect will be much weaker. …Now, a medicine of this caliber is very, very expensive.” He narrowed his eyes. “25 dollars.”  
“Twe— Oh! Oh yeah.” Krystal reached into her purse and pulled out the money. She had to remember that even the currency in this part of town was held to 1930s standards. “Here.”  
Gable’s eyes widened. “Good golly, paid in full… I was ready to remind you that an up-front down payment of only $5 was needed.”  
“Don’t worry about it, I’m able to afford it.” She smiled. “Again, I can’t thank you enough.”   
“You’re very welcome.” He wrapped the bottle in a plastic bag filled with ice. “It has been an honor to serve another satisfied customer!”

Thrax noticed Krystal walking back to the car, accompanied by some toons holding her up. “Oh, she’s got it.” He rolled down the window. “Baby, you okay?”  
“Yeah… here it is.” She held up the bag.  
One of them opened the door for her. “There… now you get plenty of rest and— My word! It’s so hot in this car the ink is going to melt right off my body! Turn off the heat this instant! Can’t you see she’s got a terrible fever?!”   
“Hey! I know how to take care of her!” Thrax rolled his eyes. “Thank you for bringing her back though and making sure she didn’t collapse.”   
Krystal stepped into the car, and thanked the toons as she and Thrax drove off. “Everybody was so concerned… even some of the cars are sentient enough to ask me to drive me back.”  
“At least we know they’re good people.”

“Here it is.” Krystal unwrapped the bag once back at Thrax’s. “We gotta keep it in the fridge though; they’re meant to be kept cold.” She opened the bottle and tilted a pill into her hand. “Take one every week to keep body heat from rising to dangerous levels… okay, here we go.” She took a small sip of water, then immediately swallowed the pill along with it.

“Mayor Valeri to uterus; your attention please. There are some outsider worker cells coming in to install a pump to keep Krystal’s temperature from rising.”   
“A pump?” One of the worker cells down in the uterus tilted her head. “What for?”   
“You’ll see. One more thing though. They can’t speak; they can only use body language. They’ll try their best to explain their procedure, but don’t be surprised.”   
“Okay but what do they look like; do they—” They jumped as the entrance to the uterus was activated, and a group of monochromatic inkblot cells marched in. The front and back of their uniforms read “BB-KPR” and a flame with an X through it. “That must be them.”  
“Excuse me…” Another worker cell approached them. “What exactly are you—” She flinched as the inkblot cells pushed the sharp end of a pipe through the uterine wall into the amniotic sac. “Aah, no! What are you doing?! That’s a very delicate—” As she ran forward, one of the inkblot cells stood in front of her, extending his hand, gesturing he didn’t want her to interfere.  
“Calm down; they know exactly what they’re doing.” Mayor Valeri explained.   
“But he just—”   
“Trust them!”  
As the inkblot cells finished attaching the pipe to the uterine wall, one of them snapped his fingers and made a ‘come forward’ motion. Another group ran in with a pump filled with what looked like blue gel, then attached one end to the pipe and turned a crank on the pump. The gel flowed into the amniotic sac and appeared to dissolve instantly, giving the impression that it didn’t work until…  
“Hypothalamus to brain; Krystal’s temperature is dropping back down to normal!”  
Everyone in the brain and uterus started cheering, while Thrax hugged Krystal tightly.   
“Thank goodness you’re gonna survive this, baby.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Get ready for some serious boohoo, guys. Please keep in mind that this chapter deals with pregnancy complications, and Thrax loses his temper and it gets really scary.

For the next few months, the pregnancy seemed to go well. Whatever body temperature spike Krystal had was quickly regulated, and she never seemed to go above 100 while pregnant. She was grateful to have Asa and Eugene’s help during this. Unfortunately, by the 4th month, both she and Thrax were met with an extremely unpleasant surprise…

“Baby, you’re not going to believe this,” Thrax said as he walked in the door. “This might make you laugh. So these toons were having a hot-sauce eating contest, and they were acting like it wouldn’t affect them at all. So I volunteered, and I didn’t feel a thing. But they were running around with steam coming out their ears and breathing fire! Ain’t that a…” He got concerned as he was met with silence. “Krystal?” He noticed the bedroom door was half open. “You asleep?” He quietly opened the door, then reeled back in terror as he saw Krystal lying motionless on the floor. “Krystal!? Oh no, oh no… no no no!!” He lifted her up, and saw that her eyes were closed. “Wake up!! Please wake up!” He gently shook her, then heaved a sigh as she let out a small groan. “Baby! You’re alive! What happened?!”   
“H-hot… everything’s so hot…” Krystal mumbled.   
“Shit, shit, shit.” Thrax ran to grab the thermometer, and quickly put it into her mouth. His eyes widened as he saw it rise much faster than normal. 100.4. 103.7. It beeped as it stopped on 105.8. “Oh, god.” Thrax dragged a hand through his dreads as his voice cracked. “What the fuck do I do…” He ran back into the living room and grabbed the phone.

“Hello, you’ve reached Fanny O’Dogg—”  
“Bunny! Get over here! Now!!”  
“Wh— Excuse me, who is this? Either you stop being aggressive or I’ll hang up.”  
“It’s Thrax. Get over here. I think Krystal’s dying.” Thrax’s voice shook.   
“…Stay calm. I’m on my way.”

Fanny arrived at Thrax and Krystal’s house, followed closely by Asa and Eugene. “Where is she?” she asked.  
“In the bedroom. Come on.” Thrax practically pulled Fanny into the room, where Krystal lay on the bed, immobile, but still breathing.   
“Oh dear. Let’s see what we’re dealing with here.” Fanny rested her hand on Krystal’s abdomen, then yanked it back as it practically scorched her hand. “Yikes!!” She pulled out her own thermometer, then stuck it in Krystal’s mouth. Once again, it beeped at 105.8. “…how far along is she?”   
“This is like… it’s… four and a half months…” Thrax could hardly talk.   
Fanny’s ears drooped down all the way. “Thrax… she isn’t going to make it.” She said in a solemn, quiet voice. “If it’s only the fourth month, she’ll be dead long before she reaches the end.”  
Thrax reeled back, while Asa buried her face in Eugene’s shoulder and started silently sobbing.  
“N-no… no, bunny. Don’t… don’t you dare say that. Don’t tell me I’m gonna lose her. Don’t tell me I’m gonna lose my baby!”   
“I’m sorry.” Fanny closed her eyes. “There’s nothing I can do to help her.”   
Something inside Asa snapped. She turned around to face Thrax, feeling nothing but rage. “You should have known… You should have known this would happen, Thrax! You just had to celebrate your record with sex, didn’t you?! And now, that virus spawn is burning her from the inside out! You’re… you’re horrible!! How did you not know this would happen?! This… this is… It’s all on you! This is entirely your fault!!”   
Eugene’s eyes widened. “As’tha! That was’th… okay, I know you’re feeling all s’thorts’th of awful things’th. I know you hate Thrax’th. But you’re making it wors’the!”   
“I don’t care,” Asa said, seething. “It’s the truth. He’s added my friend, who’s supposedly the ‘love of his life’, to his ever-growing body count.”   
“As’tha, the baby. There’s’th als’tho the baby. Thrax’th is’th going to los’the both. I know you’re s’thad and angry, but that remark has’th gone too far. At leas’tht tell him you’re s’thorry after you’ve calmed down. Pleas’the?”   
Thrax turned around. “I… I had no idea… I had no idea this would happen…” He lunged forward. “Don’t you dare tell me this was my fault! I didn’t know this would happen! I didn’t want this to happen! How dare you say this was my fault!?” Before Asa could move out of the way Thrax grabbed her by the neck and raised his left hand, claw at the ready…  
“Put her down. Now.”   
Asa opened her eyes and saw Eugene standing between them. She almost didn’t recognize his voice; it was a sharp, stern tone she never heard him use before.   
“As’tha may have went too far with what she s’thaid. But if you even think you can get away with hurting her on my watch… you’ll s’thee a s’thide of me you never wish you had. Now put her down.”  
Thrax could have sworn Eugene’s eyes briefly turned purple. “That a threat, Clockman?!”   
“Did you forget that she’s’th pregnant too? Two wrongs’th don’t make a right. I’m not going to repeat mys’thelf again. Put her down.”  
“Thrax… please…” Krystal weakly reached a hand out to him.  
Thrax finally released Asa, and Eugene rushed to her side, holding her protectively. “Are you okay?”   
“Y-yeah…” Asa was shaken up. “Thank you…”  
“Oh thank goodness’th.” He helped her to her feet. “Come on, let’s’th get out of here. He’s’th too uns’thtable to reas’thon with right now.” As the two of them left, Fanny, who had been backed up against a wall, practically ran out the door after them and closed the door behind them.   
Thrax sat at the bedside, trembling.   
“Please…” Krystal looked over at him. “Please don’t do that again…”  
“I’m sorry, baby. I… I just snapped. I didn’t want this to happen to you. Now I’m gonna lose both of you.”   
Krystal reached over and rubbed his hand. “Just know this. No matter what happens… I’ll always love you. I want those to be my last words to you.”  
“Don’t say that.” Thrax had never in his entire existence cried, but he was pretty close. He leaned over and rested himself on top of her. “I love you too, baby. It feels like we just got back together. I remember it like it was yesterday.” He got an idea. “…I want to see it.”   
“See what…?”  
“The baby. I want to go inside your body and see it. At least that.”   
Krystal weakly smiled. “That’s a great idea.”   
“I’ll go in with your medicine.” 

After shrinking down to cellular size, Thrax entered Krystal’s body through her mouth along with that week’s pill. As they landed in the stomach, he watched as the exit tube attached itself to the pill, allowing the inkblot cells to enter. He managed to slide his way in and followed their route.   
All the cells in Krystal’s body were panting and fanning themselves. Even the inkblot cells were starting to drip from the heat. “Y’all gotta pull yourself together,” Thrax said. “You’re here to save her life.”   
After what felt like forever, they finally reached the entryway to the uterus. The inkblot cells were becoming more sluggish from the heat and dripping ink everywhere. They pumped the gel into the uterus, but half of it evaporated from the heat rather than dissolved.   
“Thrax?” A small voice said behind him.   
“Yeah…?” He turned around and looked down to see one of the worker cells. She was about a third his size.  
“My name is Jenni Ovum. How may I help you?”   
“I… I wanna see my baby.”  
“Very well. Please follow me to the viewing window.” After a short walk, Thrax could see the fetus floating in the amniotic sac. He practically ran to the window, staring at it.   
“As you can see, it seems to be developing faster than a human baby. Unfortunately, the rapid development means that since it’s growing faster, the medicine’s effects can’t keep up. The amniotic fluid is practically boiling. …However, it’s far enough we can tell what sex it’s going to be. …Would you like to know?”   
“What is it?”  
“You’re having a girl.” Jenni smiled. “Congratulations.”   
“A girl… a daughter…” Thrax stared up at the fetus and sighed. “This may be the only time I get to see her.”   
“Why do you say that?”   
“Krystal may be dying. I don’t know how long it’s gonna be until she has the baby. The fever is gonna kill her before she gives birth, and then both of them are gonna die.”   
Jenni stared up at Thrax sadly. “Would you like me to give you some peace of mind?”  
“How’re you gonna do that?” He asked.   
“One moment.” Jenni walked over to an intercom. “Uterus to hypothalamus. How long has the temperature been like this?”   
“Ah, surprisingly, it’s never gone past the 105 range. I think the medicine is at least making sure it doesn’t get to 108,” one of the cell workers in the hypothalamus replied. “So I believe she’ll live.”   
“Thank you very much.” Jenni turned the intercom off, and returned to Thrax. “The only thing the medicine is doing right now is keeping her temperature from reaching a deadly level.”  
“Good, because if it stopped working, I’d go right back to Fleischer Boulevard and burn that pharmacy to the ground.”  
“Oh yeah, that’s a totally rational solution,” a different worker cell muttered.   
“Shh!” Jenni shushed her, then sighed. “Well, I’m glad you’ve taken time out of your day to make sure the baby is okay. But I’m pretty sure you’ve got other stuff to do—”  
“Don’t you start! I’ve been through enough today already.” Thrax snapped.  
“It’s not just about you!” another worker cell replied. “We heard what you did out there; I don’t even want to imagine what the worker cells in Asa’s body were going through!” 

“Can one of you please calm down and check to see if the fetus is okay?!” Asa’s mayor shouted through the intercom, as all the worker cells in her uterus ran around in a screaming panic. “That was scary for all of us; but Eugene saved her before Thrax could touch her.”   
“Why didn’t you make Asa call for help to get Eugene’s attention?!” one of them shouted back. “He could have saved her sooner! Thrax had her by the neck! I think that qualifies as touching!”  
The mayor looked around at the other brain worker cells. They were all frozen from nervousness, and the heart monitor was still quite rapid.  
“…what was it you said again?” one of them piped up. “Eugene has never lost a best friend before? He almost did just then!”  
“And don’t call him ‘Clockman’ just because you’re annoyed!” the worker cell running the serotonin added. “You’re lucky you took it back!”   
“Thank goodness the boys in the amygdala pressed the panic button fast enough, especially because they were so pissed off beforehand.”   
“As they should have been!!”   
“Look, look. I know. Everyone’s scared. The prefrontal cortex is slowly coming back online. It’s gonna take a while for the heart rate to go back to normal. But right now, I’m trying to focus on this.” The mayor went back to the intercom. “Has anyone checked the fetus yet?”  
“Yes, ma’am…” One of the uterus worker cells replied with a shaky voice. “I can still see its heartbeat.”  
“Good. …Eugene’s trying to comfort us; please send backup to the ventral tegmental area.” 

“You saw what you wanted, so if you could please leave—”  
“I don’t care!” Thrax said annoyedly. “I’ve been kicked out so many times during this whole thing; I ain’t about to get kicked out of here! Leave me alone!!”   
Jenni turned to the other worker cell before she could argue further. “…Let’s let him stay a while longer. I’m not sure how much longer it’s going to be until Krystal gives birth, but let him at least have this. He was under the impression he would lose her.” She turned back to Thrax. “Take your time.”

Thrax spent several hours in the uterus, pacing back and forth talking to the fetus. After a while, he finally decided to leave, returning to the outside world. “…They say you’ll live, but the only thing the medicine is doing right now is making sure your fever doesn’t go above 108.”  
“Well, at least I won’t die… but I’m still going to suffer…” Krystal replied.  
“No. You won’t suffer. I’ll make sure of that.” Thrax sat by the bedside again. “You know I don’t really need to sleep, right?”  
“Thrax, you don’t have to stay up all night just for me… I mean, just because you can doesn’t mean you should…”   
“I want to.” Thrax rubbed her hand. “…Hey, what do you think of the name ‘Rubella’? One of the worker cells says we’re having a girl.”   
Krystal’s eyes widened. “A daughter…?” She smiled. “That’s such a fitting name. Ideal for a child that’s part virus and it works as a human name too.”   
Thrax smiled back. “Ha-ha… I always call myself ‘Big Daddy Thrax’… but this time it’s gonna actually be accurate… I can’t wait.” 

Later that night, the phone rang. Thrax answered it. “Hello?”   
“Thrax?” He could recognize Asa’s voice on the other end, except it completely lacked the energy it usually had.   
“Huh- what?”  
“…I’m sorry.” After a pause, she hung up.


	6. Chapter 6

The next few weeks, whenever Fanny, Asa and Eugene came by to check on and feed Krystal, Asa just kept her eyes pointed down, while Eugene just silently, but coldly shifted his eyes towards him, keeping an arm around her at all times.  
“You shouldn’t have done that,” Fanny said, opening her medical bag. “The Clockman was at least willing to be sympathetic to your plight but you had to go and attack his wife.”  
“She shouldn’t have said it was my f—”  
“I don’t want to hear it.” Eugene cut him off, not even bothering to look at him.  
“Two wrongs don’t make a right, Thrax. If you… pardon me, Clockman.” Fanny plucked the pocketwatch out of Eugene’s vest pocket, then used it to aid her in checking Krystal’s heart rate. “If you had just gotten into a screaming match or something, it wouldn’t have been so bad. But… you tried to kill her.”  
Thrax opened his mouth, but Eugene cut him off again. “S’thtop it. S’thtop trying to defend yours’thelf. You’re lucky As’tha at leas’tht gave you an ‘I’m s’thorry’. S’tho you’d better learn to control your temper before Krys’thtal gives’th birth.” His grip tightened on Asa’s shoulder. “…Now I s’thee why As’tha does’thn’t like you.”  
“Hey, are you insinuating I’m gonna blow up at my own—”  
“Thrax, stop trying to argue!” Fanny shouted, then returned the pocketwatch to Eugene. “Seriously, you’re just going to dig yourself deeper!” She sighed. “Okay. Krystal’s heart rate is slower than normal. But there’s no signs of it stopping.”  
“Good.” Thrax nodded.  
“Keep her hydrated, make sure she doesn’t faint, and above all, make sure she keeps taking that medicine.” Fanny closed up her medical bag. “I’ll be back in a week.”  
“Thanks, bunny.” Thrax watched the three of them leave.  
“Sorry, but… unless Thrax isn’t here, I don’t feel safe coming here,” Asa said.  
“You hear that?” Eugene finally looked over at Thrax.  
“Who’s supposed to open the door?” Thrax argued.  
“Thrax, just shut up…” Fanny rolled her eyes.  
“Asa…” Krystal called from the bedroom. “There’s a spare key hidden in a flap in the mat outside the door… use that to get in. When I hear you coming in, I’ll tell Thrax to go into a different room until you’re gone.”  
“Okay, I will.” Asa nodded.  
“Fair ‘nuff,” Thrax muttered. “What about her?”  
“Fanny can just knock,” Krystal said. “That way we can tell who is who. Fanny can knock, Asa and Eugene can let themselves in.”  
“A’ight.” Thrax nodded. “Hey, great job on those smoothies by the way. I was worried about Krystal being too weak to eat but those things are managing to—” He let out an annoyed sigh as Eugene shot him a disappointed glare. “…what?!”  
“Don’t,” he simply said as the three of them left down the hall.  
As Thrax closed the door, he exhaled. “Great, now the Clockman’s turned into a badger as well.” 

On the trolley ride back, Asa and Eugene were huddled so close to each other that Fanny was able to sit next to them without issue. “Is she gonna be okay?” she asked.  
“I hope s’tho,” Eugene replied. “Like you s’thaid, I wanted to be s’thympathetic. But not only did he try to kill As’tha over her outburs’tht, he tried to argue in his’th favor, then acted like complimenting her on her homemade s’thmoothies’th would make it any better.” He looked down at her. “I thought she was’th out of line for s’thaying what she did, but… if he’s’th going to react like that, I’ll let it s’thlide.”  
Asa nuzzled against Eugene as a response. “When I go to give the juice to Krystal can you come too—”  
“Abs’tholutely, As’tha. I don’t want you let you out of my s’thight again.” He rubbed her shoulder. “I’ll be at your s’thide the whole time.”  
Fanny looked up at the two of them, wordlessly smiling. 

For two months, the same cycle occurred. Fanny would check Krystal’s vitals, Asa and Eugene would come by to give her the smoothies to keep her nourished, Thrax would stay by her side all night, and the medicine helped keep her fever from spiking to 108. It felt like time was blending together. One day, Krystal felt funny and slowly got out of bed, trying to find Thrax…

“Thrax…?”  
“Baby, what are you doing out of bed? Is something the matter?”  
“My stomach hurts… something’s—” She was cut off as she suddenly felt an extremely hot liquid gush out from between her legs, and she buckled over in pain.  
“Your water’s breaking?!” Thrax exclaimed, rushing to her side. “It’s only been 6 and a half months!!”  
“Get me to the hospital… please…” Krystal groaned. 

Thrax drove recklessly to Toontown’s main hospital, completely ignoring any stop signals.  
“Be careful…” Krystal said.  
“There’s no time to be careful, baby.” He pulled up to the hospital, trying to carry Krystal as gingerly as possible, yet practically charged towards the door.  
The hospital personnel at the front desk noticed what was going on, and the toon at the desk panicked. “Get Mrs. O’Doggell down here, now.”  
By the time Fanny arrived at the front desk, hospital personnel were trying to hold the door shut until she came. “What’s going on?”  
“The virus is at the front door and he’s trying to break in!” one of them shouted.  
“I’ll handle this.” Fanny motioned them to move out of the way, then walked up to Thrax. “What’s going on?”  
“Krystal is about to give birth!!” Thrax practically yelled.  
Fanny’s eyes widened. “But it’s only been just over six months! It’s way too soon!” She turned to shout at the others. “Get me a wheelchair, quick! We have to get her to Labor and Delivery immediately! She’s giving birth 3 months prematurely!” As they lifted Krystal onto the wheelchair and whisked her off, Thrax tried to follow. Fanny held up her hand to stop him.  
“OH, COME ON!!!” Thrax screamed.  
“You’ll be posing a risk to the patients if you come in.” Fanny said, her voice cracking.  
“It’s my baby!!!” Thrax continued.  
“I’m sorry! I promise, you can see the baby as soon as Krystal is released from hospital and—”  
“I want to see her now!!” He tried to push past her.  
Fanny’s teeth chattered from fear. “I-I’m sorry. I really am. But if I let you through, I’ll get in trouble. Now, please leave, or I’ll have to get security.” She closed the door on him.  
Thrax pounded on the door, demanding to be let in. He collapsed to his knees, clasping at his dreads. “Shit…” He noticed a payphone outside of the hospital out of the corner of his eye…

“Hello, you’ve reached the Cl—”  
“GET OVER HERE!!” Thrax yelled. “Krystal’s about to give birth! Both of you, get to the hospital!!”  
Eugene just stared at the phone, then hung up. “As’tha, Krys’thtal’sth at the hos’thpital; she’s’th about to give birth.”  
“You’re kidding.” Asa jumped off of the couch. “It’s 3 months too early!”  
“We have to go to her.” Eugene beckoned, then checked his pocketwatch. “If we leave now, we can catch the trolley without having to wait another half-hour.”

Thrax looked up as he saw Asa and Eugene exit the trolley stop near the hospital. “There you are! I need y’all to get me into the—”  
“Let me guess’th. You aren’t allowed in. If you were ex’thpecting us’th to help you get in, no s’thuch luck.”  
“You’re not being kicked out of the hospital because of bias; it’s the rules,” Asa said. “Well, bias too most likely.”  
“Bes’thides’th, you can s’thee it after Krys’thtal’s’th dis’thcharged.”  
“Tell me something, Clockman, how would you feel if you were told you couldn’t go in and see your baby?!”  
Eugene adjusted his glasses. “I’m not a deadly virus’th.”  
Thrax scowled as Asa began giggling behind Eugene. “Yeah, yeah, yeah, yuk it up, why don’t you…”  
“Are you going to los'the your temper and s'thlash at her again?” Eugene raised an eyebrow.  
“Look, just help me get into the hospital.” Thrax rolled his eyes.  
“We can’t sneak you in,” Asa said. “But… I think there’s a way to talk to Krystal still.”

Krystal noticed that her phone had started going off, with a request for video phone. Fanny picked it up for her. “Asa, is that you?”  
“Yeah, can you point the camera at Krystal, please?” Asa smiled as Fanny did so. “Thank you… Krystal, are you okay?”  
“It just hurts a lot… I’m scared…” She groaned as a contraction hit.  
Thrax suddenly grabbed the phone. “Baby, I’m coming in there. Hang on, wait for me!”  
“Hey!! That’s my phone! If you damage it, you’re replacing it! Give it back!!” Asa reached for it.  
“Back off. I’m trying to talk.” Thrax turned away.  
“What do you mean ‘back off’?!” Asa continued trying to grab for her phone back. “The whole point of the video phone idea was so we could all talk!”  
“Thrax’th, give As’tha her phone back, now. It’s’th not yours’th.”  
“Practicing your daddy talk again, Clockman?” Thrax went back to the phone. “They won’t let me in there, baby. I need to get to you. You’re in pain and I don’t like being so far away from you when you’re in pain.”  
“I’m going to be oka—” Krystal was interrupted when pressure hit, and she let out a more painful cry. “N-no… it hurts…! I need y— please—”  
Fanny took the phone back. “She’s giving birth now. I’m sorry, but I need all the help I can get.” The video phone feed cut short.  
Thrax panicked, breathing heavily. He clasped at his dreads again, dropping Asa’s phone on the grass in the process. “I gotta get in there… I gotta… I’ve…” In a mix of panic and anger, Thrax charged the hospital door.  
Asa’s head jerked up just in time to see. “What the— Thrax! Thrax, no!!”  
“Thrax’th! Get back here!” Eugene called after him. “They hire toons’th built like fridges’th as’th the s’thecurity guards’th; they will pick you up with one hand and throw you out!”  
“I don’t wanna hear it, old man!!” Thrax kicked the door open, causing the personnel inside to panic.  
“Security!! SECURITY!! The virus broke in!!” someone screamed. Immediately, a pair of inkblot toons with large, rectangular bodies stepped up.  
“Either take yerself out or we’ll show ya how.” One of them cracked his knuckles and prepared to grab Thrax by the shoulders, but grunted as he felt a sharp pain across his chest. Thrax had slashed at him, and he slowly looked down at the mark left behind. “Heh… that all ya got?” He prepared to grab him again, but froze as ink started spraying out of the wound.  
“That all you got?” Thrax sneered as he dashed past both of them.  
“Yer goin’ white as a ghost…” The other guard said as he bent down. “We’re dealin’ with something we ain’t dealt with before…”  
“Looks like it’s back to the drawing board for me.” The first guard flopped over as he fully turned white.  
“What have you done?!” The toon at the front desk exclaimed. “He’ll have to get re-inked!”  
“Somebody grab a bottle of rubbing alcohol! That’s the only way to take the virus down!” Another one shouted.  
“Get away from me!” Thrax brandished his claw. “I’m gonna see my baby come hell or high fever! Back off!!” With that, he bolted down the hall.

“We gotta stop him,” Asa said, opening the door. “We were here to see Krystal but we have to make sure he doesn’t get in there first.”  
“Even if you weren’t pregnant; it’s’th too difficult to keep up,” Eugene replied. “He outruns’th both of us’th—” Both of them stopped in their tracks as they looked at their surroundings. The ink-drained security guard crumpled on the floor, the intruder alarm blaring, and the personnel running around in a panic. Eugene awkwardly adjusted his tie and cleared his throat. “Terribly s’thorry, but is’th this’th a bad time? We’re here to vis’thit our friend up in Labor and Delivery—”  
“Eugene, let’s just go up.” Asa tugged at his sleeve. “They’re too distracted; they’re not gonna notice.”


End file.
